L.A.S MEDIA HOUSE

Saturday, 20 September 2014

Many killed as Boko Haram attacks market

Boko Haram insurgents on Friday attacked a Borno
market, killing scores of traders and marketers, a
military source said.
The source claimed the insurgents, who were looking for
food to sustain their terror acts, invaded Mainok market,
about 56 kilometres from Maiduguri, on Friday
afternoon. The source said they carted away foodstuffs
and money belonging to the traders after killing many
people.
A Maiduguri resident, Alloy Ikechukwu, who travelled
along the Maiduguri-Damaturu road, told newsmen the
attackers stormed the market at about 1.30pm.
"I boarded a luxury bus from Lagos and as soon as we
arrived Mainok at exactly1.30 p.m., we heard heavy
gunshots from the western part of the market and
sporadic gunshots followed.
"Hundreds of traders and residents fled the market in
confusion, running to cross the highway to the other side
while vehicles passing through the town were also
making attempts to flee the town. It was such a
confusion," he disclosed.
He said many fleeing residents were hit on the road by
equally fleeing motorists in the midst of confusion that
ensued.
"Many people may have been killed judging from the
way the insurgents were shooting at the crowd," he
said.
He also he saw many of the fleeing residents who were
hit by vehicles speeding off from the area, falling and
bleeding. "Vehicles were hitting one another and the
Boko Haram kept shooting," he added.
A security personnel who also travelled on the road
disclosed that the attackers first fired into the middle of
the market
"The death toll may be high because there were many
people in the market," the personnel, who did not want
to be named, said.